It was a fun story for Minnesotans to follow, the two new Timberwolves playing with great pride for the Russian national team, making the Russians the talk of the Olympic tournament.

It was a fun story until Andrei Kirilenko started to slow, and then suffered a bruised leg and flopped in the semifinals, and Alexey Shved started missing shots with that funky release of his, and the Russians collapsed in the second half against Spain on Friday.

The Russians lost 67-59 -- and lost a chance to meet the United States in the final in what would have been a 40th anniversary rematch of the Russians controversial, clock-stopping victory over the Americans in Munich.